Thursday, July 8, 2010

Backtime Road Trip Day 1: Best Intentions

The family vacation. It always looks so good on paper.

It was a yearly deal with our family, though the "road trips" were phased out as I reached puberty. But the vacations continued. And as my parents and sister used to cramp my self-appointed style, I would pronounce for years that "The days of the family vacation are over." But I'd still get lured back in.

Now I have a family of my own, and I have plotted a 2-week caravan that can only be described as "ambitious." Seeing people and places, weaving through the United States' intricate interstate system - it seems so magical until you actually live it. But today's 7+ hour adventure was surprisingly devoid of road construction and kids' tantrums.

Today's leg was from the Coastal Empire to the north-central portion of the Yellowhammer State for a "drop & dash," handing off the Kids to the in-laws for the weekend.

The Backtime editorial department felt like it was going back in time as we passed billboards in the deep south that read:

GOD ISN'T A SOCIALIST

WHERE'S THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE?

CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF CONFEDERACY

This was all in stark contrast to what I was hearing with my own ears.

LeBron James (An African-American) was holding the radio airwaves captive as countless viewers would make appointment viewing tonight to see what he decides.

And my daughter's DVD player was spitting out countless episodes of the very-mainstream Dora The Explorer who bragged about how much she likes English and Spanish.

All I can say is the trip only goes north from here. In the meantime I will get some rest here in Alabama... A state that I will now re-name Al Obama.